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April 7, 2009

Who’s On My Guest List?

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READ: Luke 14:7-14

When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed. —Luke 14:13-14

I love hosting festive dinners. Sometimes I’ll say: “Tonia, we haven’t had anyone over for dinner in a while. Who do you think we should invite?” We go through our proposed guest list and suggest friends we have never invited or have not invited in a while. And it seems like this list is normally comprised of people who look and sound and live like we do, and who can reciprocate. But if we were to ask Jesus whom we should have over for dinner, He would give us a totally different guest list.

One day a prominent Pharisee invited Jesus into his home, probably for table fellowship, but possibly to watch Him closely so he could trap Him. While there, Jesus healed a man and taught the host a significant lesson: When making out your guest list for a dinner party, you should not be exclusive—inviting friends, relatives, rich neighbors, and those who can pay you back. Instead, you should be inclusive—inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Although such people would not be able to pay the host back, Jesus assured him that he would be blessed and that God would reward him (Luke 14:12-14).

Just as Jesus loves the less fortunate, He invites us to love them by opening up our hearts and homes.

The poor and needy everywhere
Are objects of God’s love and care,
But they will always know despair
Unless His love with them we share. —D. De Haan

Opening our hearts and homes blesses both us and others.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 7-9; Luke 9:18-36

A sailor’s burial at sea

Daughters pledged to provide last request

Some time ago an old sailor retired from the sea. Reaching home, he asked his two daughters for one favor, that being a proper burial at sea when the time came.

The old sailor eventually died and daughters Barbie and Barbara went out, bought a canvas sail and sea twine to sew a shroud and prepare him for burial at sea.

They took their father to a boat and the two of them rowed and rowed until Barbie asked Barbara, “Are we deep enough?”

Barbara jumped over the side and the water was just to her knees, and she said, “No.”

They rowed some more, and Barbara jumped in to find the water up to her chest, so she got back in.

The third time they rowed and rowed and then rowed some more.

“Are we deep enough yet?” Barbie asked.

This time when Barbara jumped over the side she disappeared beneath the water and Barbie looked over wondering if she’d drowned when all she saw were bubbles coming up.

Then, with a mighty splash, Barbara exploded from the water and grabbing the side of the boat yelled triumphantly to Barbie, “YES! We’re deep enough! Hand me the shovel.”